The  Holy VVVrinity ˙Herald September 2007

P.O. Box 81 * Bonham, TX 75418               www.holytrinitybonham.org

 

The Vicar’s Voice: The “good old summer time” is just about over.  Labor Day is upon us and we should get back to normal time. So, Sunday Bible Study will return at 9:30 on September 9th.  I invite you to attend and participate. The first class will be a surprise and then we will decide on a course. How can Holy Trinity grow?  If we don’t grow wider, can we at least grow deeper? Both would be great but deeper, meaning deepening our faith and knowledge, our spiritual life and our concern and outreach to others, is also something we should try to attain. Any growth to which we aspire can only be brought about by our full participation in the worship of the Church.                                                                                     

 

We should also be preparing for the Diocesan Convention. Information regarding the “doings” of the Convention will be forthcoming in the next six weeks or so. We will have one or more Parish Meetings after we are aware of the resolutions and direction of the Convention. Your delegate, Pat Ward, your alternate delegate, Carol Morris, and I want to know your feelings regarding what is to come before the Convention.  Pray, brothers and sisters that we may always do the things that God wills for us. “Pray” and “do” are the operative words.  Ora et labora is the motto of the Rule given to the Monks by St. Benedict.  The meaning is Pray and Work.  This should be our motto also.  Pray that we will do the will of God and then do it.   Fr. Bill+  

 

THE DIOCESE  OF  DALLAS  112th CONVENTION: OCTOBER 19 & 20, 2007

AT SOUTH  FORK  RANCH   (PLANO) ,  – All Episcopalians are welcome to attend as Observers

Special forms for Observers are on the Episcopal-Dallas.org website

Registration is $75 per person, Deadline is Oct. 1st.

Holiday Inn Express Plano is the headquarters hotel, special rate is $81 per night + tax

Parishioners are urged to familiarize yourselves with the issues which will be discussed within our Parish pursuant to instructing your clergy and delegate on your opinions and direction on those issues. Recommended websites: Episcopal News Service http://www.episcopalchurch.org Presiding Bishop Schori comments; Dallas Diocese website http://www.episcopal-dallas.org Dallas Bishop Stanton comments; Church of England website: http://www.cofe.anglican.org  Archbishop Williams comments. Pre-convention meetings throughout the Diocese are being held to advise clergy and elected delegates of the issues and resolutions which will be presented during the convention. Fr. Dalton and Pat Ward will attend the meeting in Plano on October 6 after which Fr. Dalton will call one or more Parish meetings between Oct. 7th and Oct. 19th to advise Parishioners of those resolutions and anticipated issues.

 

Something to think about:

 [Ecumenical News International] Anglican churches will soon return to their mission to alleviate poverty, disease and injustice and abandon a "fixation" with homosexuality, says Anglican Bishop Trevor Mwamba of Botswana, the recently-appointed dean of the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa. "Very few of us take the homosexual debate as a top priority issue because there are more pressing issues facing the African church," Mwamba told Ecumenical News International in a telephone interview from his office in the Botswana capital, Gaborone. "Most African Anglicans want to get back to basics and concentrate on poverty, disease, injustice and the need for transparency in governments," said the dean of the Central African region, made up of churches in Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

 

@Editor’s opinion: Yes, indeed there are “more pressing issues” than those being pushed to the forefront by self-serving individuals who have diverted the attention of our world and our historic church away from its mission to what, in polite civil society, should be their very private sexual practices and gender preferences. The real question might be whether the entire world Christian community, indisputably the majority of which is not homosexual, has a God-given responsibility and obligation to virtually destroy the foundations of all religious organizations to intercede with God (to change His mind???) on behalf of those attention-seeking individuals in their personal relationship with Him.

 

What’s your opinion? Watch for announcements by Father Dalton about Parish meetings regarding the Convention issues. If you don’t have access to email, call someone who does and ask them to keep you advised.  

 

      

Vestry Report@      …..The Britton House has been sold and we are getting closer to settling the estate.  There are still some outstanding issues but it is getting closer.  Fr. Bill informed us that Michael-David is recovered from his accident and ready to resume his duties as Treasurer. Fr. Bill and I, along with assistance from Jean Whitlock, have been keeping things up to date in his absence.  It is good news that Michael-David is available again. However, we need to find someone to serve as Assistant Treasurer so they can start learning how things are done in preparation for taking over next year. If you feel you would like to learn this important and vital role please let Fr. Bill or me know so you can get started. We also had a discussion on the upcoming Diocese Convention later this year.  As in past years. the Vestry seeks your input at a general meeting for church members to advise our clergy and delegate of our opinions.  Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.  Hope everyone has been enjoying the summer and I will see you in a couple of weeks.

Michael-David Risser-Gant is looking for a job. Michael-David is most grateful to the Holy Trinity congregation for its prayers, concern and assistance following his accident. Now on his way to a full recovery, he is diligently seeking employment to meet his basic living expenses (food, utilities, phone, fuel, insurance and medications). If any of you know of any type of employment opportunity in the Bonham area that he can pursue, he will be most appreciative.

Shirley Britton House report: The house sold on August 27th, just in time to avoid another month’s penalties and interest on the delinquent taxes, another month of utilities and lawn upkeep, and before having to buy another 3 months of insurance.  From the proceeds of the Estate Sale, sale of the car and the house, the delinquent taxes, attorney fees, funeral expenses and all of Shirley’s outstanding bills were paid with the exception of those under negotiation with Credit card insurance claims to pay off balances for department store and credit cards, some of which have not yet been resolved.  Still pending are charges not 100% covered by Medicare at Parkland Hospital where Shirley was taken via CareFlight. A final IRS tax return is required of the estate which will incur CPA charges as well.   The Vestry has agreed by consensus that the money realized from the Shirley Britton Estate will be placed into one or more Certificate(s) of Deposit for a period of 6 months to a year with a reserve held in the checking account opened by Tom Scott, Executor of the Shirley Britton Estate for any bills that might come forward from creditors unknown to us at this time that have not yet exceeded the state statute of limitations on collection of debts. Tom will continue to serve as Executor of the estate with Pat Ward as Holy Trinity representative throughout the entire process.            Unfinished business regarding the inheritance of Shirley Britton’s estate is the sorting of her papers, documents, family photos and other artifacts for distribution to any interested distant family members, the genealogy section of the public library, or museums. A “work day” will be organized this fall (when we don’t have to run the air conditioner) to start this project.

Raising the parish profile: effective advertising on a limited budget

By Tom Downs, August 07, 2007 [Episcopal Life] We knew what we wanted: a higher profile in the community and a chance to issue a direct invitation to possible new members. But how do you make it happen? In my parish we made a good start when we set aside 5 percent of our budget for advertising. So we set aside the money. For us the money we set aside is a good chunk of change, but as advertising budgets go, it won't go very far. So how do you go about making the most of what you can spend?

 

First, we needed to be clear about our objectives. There are just over 100 churches in our community; we want name recognition.  Beyond name recognition we also need people to be aware of what we have to offer them.

 

Second, we needed to choose the right tools for the right job. We invited an account representative from a local newspaper to come to a vestry meeting. He helped us see the difference between a simple listing and an advertisement. “Listings” are where people expect to find listings ….in the yellow pages under “Churches”, on the Saturday religion page in the paper, in the Chamber of Commerce's materials for newcomers, and the basic website.

 

But listings aren't very helpful at promoting name recognition or encouraging visitors to give you a try. That's where advertising comes in, to push your name before the public, as often as you can and at every opportunity. Your name gets lost among all the others in lists. Lists require the potential visitor to make an effort to find you. With advertising you are the one putting in the effort to attract the notice of a potential visitor.

 

Newspapers need news and pictures. So host a blood drive at the church and send an advance notice to the paper with a picture of the parish getting ready. Have a fund raising dinner and present the proceeds to a local charity -- afterwards send a story and a picture. Host a local support group (even if you are not actually sponsoring the group) and put regular notices about it in the paper. Make sure your local paper gets a story and a picture about every activity taking place in or around the church that might be of interest to the general public.

 

Conventional advertising might be too expensive, but the nearest television station might well do a feature story about your church or one of your projects. Radio stations sometimes do remote broadcast; invite one to your next Blessing of the Animals Service so they can interview the vet who's doing a free clinic at the church and some of the pet owners. When necessary, buy ads to announce an activity. One of the most effective ads I ever bought was just four lines in the Personals section of the want ads. It was written like the typical personal ad and ended with an invitation to come to church. It was cheap, ran five days, and got lots of notice. That's what I like. -- The Rev. Tom Downs is rector of Holy Family Episcopal Church, Midland, Michigan

Christmas project? It’s not too early to adopt a project for Christmas sharing with the less fortunate, perhaps one in which the entire community will participate with us. Closer to home than “Dean” are still “Katrina” victims on our own Gulf Coast, some areas and their populations who are quietly and valiantly helping themselves and their neighbors but not as well publicized as New Orleans’ now infamous “9th Ward”. Perhaps Gail Porter’s former church is trying to rebuild, or people in the deep bayou country who could use a little help from St. Nick for their children. Maybe Gail and Pat Ward, another native of south Louisiana, would agree to investigate and give us some suggestions by the end of September.

Sharon Kinkade, Notary Public - 214-231-2457

sharon.kinkade@trustsolutionsllc.com - Sharon Kinkade has offered her services as a Notary Public to The Holy Trinity Church and its Communicants free of charge. If one would want to make a contribution for her Notary service to the Vicar's Discretionary Fund that would be perfectly fine with her if Father Bill approves.

"Sisterhood of Faith: 365 Life-Changing Stories about Women Who Made a Difference" from Simon & Schuster, by Shirley Brosius, 401 pages, hardcover, c. 2006, $14.99. [Source: Simon & Schuster] The forces that bind woman to woman, sister to sister, and friend to friend are among the most powerful in the world. Add to that the strength of faith, and you have a union that transcends all earthly holds.

That unique bond is the sisterhood of faith. The women whose stories are told in this book are the kind of women who wave a hand of dismissal at the obstacles in their paths….the kind who are unstoppable in their mission, stubborn in their resilience. They are women just like you. Women whose lives make a difference because they trusted in their God as they lived their lives in service to Him -- women who belong to the sisterhood of faith.  Each daily devotion features an inspirational sister of faith.  In addition to Her Story, you'll find Her Service, Her Message, and My Response. To order: Episcopal Books and Resources, online thttp://www.episcopalbookstore.org or call 800-903-5544 -- or visit your local Episcopal bookseller, http://www.episcopalbooksellers.org

From Reader’s Digest: Ants can carry 20 times their own body weight, which is useful information if you need help moving a potato chip across town. -- Ron Darian

The Queen of Bingo directed by Kim Jenkins and starring Bill Dalton as Father Francis McKenzie Muldoon, Rector of “St. Joseph’s Catholic Church of Battle Creek, Michigan”. “Father Muldoon”, in his finest Irish brogue, will welcome Red River Community Theatre patrons to its annual dinner-theatre fundraiser at the Bonham Family Life Center on Friday and Saturday nights Sept. 28 and 29. Feasting begins at 6:00pm followed by fun and games and a stage play featuring, in addition to our own Father Dalton: Victoria Sutherland (Sis), Mary-k Ashley Wilson (Babe) and John Henard (the Bingo Caller). Tickets are available online through PayPal from the theatre’s website, or by a check in the mail to RRTC, P.O. Box 582, Bonham, TX 75418. Parties of 10 will have a reserved table. All others are open seating. Reservations are required and seating is limited.

Two From Galilee, the heart-warming love story of Mary and Joseph, a novel by Marjorie Holmes adapted to the stage by George Herman is Red River Theatre’s Christmas season offering. Auditions will be held Oct. 5th and 6th for nine female and eleven male roles including those with one to three lines or no lines. Adult males should be willing to grow a beard in keeping with the Biblical era.  Performances are Nov. 30 – Dec. 2 and Dec.7 – 9. Anyone interested in acting or helping with costuming and props should contact Pat Ward or Kim Jenkins, and plan to attend the auditions at the theatre in Windom Oct. 5th and 6th.

Fun tips: Antarctica is the only land on our planet that is not owned by any country. 90% of the world's ice covers Antarctica. This ice also represents 70% of all the fresh water in the world. As strange as it sounds, Antarctica is essentially a desert. The average yearly precipitation is about two inches. Although covered with ice (all but 0.4 percent of it), Antarctica is the driest place on the planet, with an absolute humidity lower than the Gobi desert.

Wedding bells rang at Holy Trinity on Saturday, September 1st to celebrate the marriage of Pat Ward’s granddaughter, Lydia, to Chad Mercer of Ector. Thanks to those who joined family and friends to make this a joyful occasion.

The  Holy VVVrinity   ˙ Herald

P.O. Box 81

Bonham, TX 75418

September 2007